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Re: Pitta now #1 on depth chart.

Lets see - its ONLY taken them a little over two years to recognize that Pitta was the better tight end (in the context of Joe's game). Cam has "f...ed" Joe royally with his offensive scheme. It will probably take him another two years (if he lasts that long) to figure out that Joe plays better from the shotgun (particularly with his current offensive line).

Re: Pitta now #1 on depth chart.

I want to caution people to dial back the whole "Joe is going to Pitta way too much" thing a little bit.

Yes, Pitta leads the team in targets, receptions, and yards. Yes, Joe and Dennis appear to be friends off the field. No, there is not necessarily a correlation between those things.

The simpler explanation for why Pitta is where he is, is that Pitta has been open while Torrey and Anquan have not. We've played two teams that defend outside WRs pretty well in the Bengals and Eagles, and if you go back and re-watch last week's game it's painfully obvious that Anquan absolutely cannot get open on the outside. He can find holes in zone, he can catch contested passes, he can still do some work, but against tight man coverage he's just gone. Torrey can run away from man coverage, but not when he's getting held throughout his entire route.

I expect to see the WRs get more involved when they show they can get open and make plays, but not until then. Let's also not forget that Cam Cameron's offense has always been led in receptions by a RB or TE anyway. That's just the way it is--WRs go deep on the sidelines to suck the coverage back, TEs and RBs eat up the short stuff in the middle of the field.

Let's not make too much of the fact that Joe forced one terrible throw to his favorite target last Sunday. After all, last year we were all saying that when he goes to Pitta, good things happen. That's still true and I expect it to continue.

Re: Pitta now #1 on depth chart.

I want to caution people to dial back the whole "Joe is going to Pitta way too much" thing a little bit.

Yes, Pitta leads the team in targets, receptions, and yards. Yes, Joe and Dennis appear to be friends off the field. No, there is not necessarily a correlation between those things.

The simpler explanation for why Pitta is where he is, is that Pitta has been open while Torrey and Anquan have not. We've played two teams that defend outside WRs pretty well in the Bengals and Eagles, and if you go back and re-watch last week's game it's painfully obvious that Anquan absolutely cannot get open on the outside. He can find holes in zone, he can catch contested passes, he can still do some work, but against tight man coverage he's just gone. Torrey can run away from man coverage, but not when he's getting held throughout his entire route.

I expect to see the WRs get more involved when they show they can get open and make plays, but not until then. Let's also not forget that Cam Cameron's offense has always been led in receptions by a RB or TE anyway. That's just the way it is--WRs go deep on the sidelines to suck the coverage back, TEs and RBs eat up the short stuff in the middle of the field.

Let's not make too much of the fact that Joe forced one terrible throw to his favorite target last Sunday. After all, last year we were all saying that when he goes to Pitta, good things happen. That's still true and I expect it to continue.

I agree with all of this and if Pitta leads the team in targets, receptions, etc then so be it.

We've just seen Joe seem to fixate on different players (Mason at one point, Rice more recently) and not get everyone involved. Whether or not that is by design, I can't say.

I just think this offense functions so much better when Flacco hits 4 or 5 different guys a couple of times a game. Keeps the D guessing where he's going to.

Re: Pitta now #1 on depth chart.

Originally Posted by bmorecareful

...it's painfully obvious that Anquan absolutely cannot get open on the outside. He can find holes in zone, he can catch contested passes, he can still do some work, but against tight man coverage he's just gone. Torrey can run away from man coverage, but not when he's getting held throughout his entire route...

I'm getting way ahead of myself here, but we can't pay a guy what we are paying Boldin if we are going to waste him by not having him do what he does best or if he just can't get open at all against good CB's (BTW...when he was in the slot, he was getting covered by a rookie...Boykin).

Re: Pitta now #1 on depth chart.

Originally Posted by Raveninwoodlawn

I'm getting way ahead of myself here, but we can't pay a guy what we are paying Boldin if we are going to waste him by not having him do what he does best or if he just can't get open at all against good CB's (BTW...when he was in the slot, he was getting covered by a rookie...Boykin).

Yea, Boykin didn't let him get open at all.

I just don't think Boldin has the speed or quickness to really effectively get open anymore.

Re: Pitta now #1 on depth chart.

Originally Posted by Raveninwoodlawn

I'm getting way ahead of myself here, but we can't pay a guy what we are paying Boldin if we are going to waste him by not having him do what he does best or if he just can't get open at all against good CB's (BTW...when he was in the slot, he was getting covered by a rookie...Boykin).

I should point out that Boykin was doing VERY well on him from the slot, as well. Brandon Boykin was a really underrated player in this past draft, though--he was a solid cover corner in the SEC at Georgia and he had to go up against AJ Green in practice and reportedly always held his own against him. He's no slouch, having easily beat out a solid vet in Joselio Hanson for the Eagles nickel job.

As you point out, Boldin has never been a world-beater doing what we ask him to do in this offense, as has been pointed out over and over again. Whatever speed he once had is now completely gone and I would venture to say he is slower and more lead-footed than Mason ever was even at his worst. His route running is also much more suspect than one would expect out of a 10 year veteran (somewhat sloppy and awkward although his timing is pretty good.)

Given that, yes, you do have to wonder if Boldin is really our best option as an every-down wideout. Should he simply go to the bench in 2 wide sets? It might have sounded ridiculous in the past, but you wonder if Jacoby Jones is a better fit for what we want to do right now as an every-down outside WR. That doesn't mean we can't play Boldin plenty if we go to 3-wide sets.

Re: Pitta now #1 on depth chart.

Did anybody notice that Doss got out there for a play or two?

"When questioned, the Elders explained that they were in search of magical powers. However, they're actually searching for the whereabouts of a certain ring. This ring is a legendary treasure that long ago was known to exist"

Re: Pitta now #1 on depth chart.

Originally Posted by Raveninwoodlawn

I'm getting way ahead of myself here, but we can't pay a guy what we are paying Boldin if we are going to waste him by not having him do what he does best or if he just can't get open at all against good CB's (BTW...when he was in the slot, he was getting covered by a rookie...Boykin).

This is becoming more and more alarming, it seems like when Boldin is being pressed at the line or played tight he has trouble. Even against corners who arent that good, i remember a couple years ago Glover Quin locked him up and that guy's a safety now.

Re: Pitta now #1 on depth chart.

I don't think this should come as a surprise to anyone who watched the Ravens last year or the first couple of games this year.

I do have an issue with Pitta being targeted 15 times on Sunday and the rest of the receivers being targeted a total of 12 times combined from what I read. If, as an earlier post indicated, Pitta is open, then I have no problem with it. The problem is that Pitta wasn't open on a number of those targets. Even on some balls he caught, they were short gains. Didn't Flacco throw him a two yard pass on third and long with a defender right next to him, resulting in a gain of two and a punt? And throwing him the ball when he was triple covered resulting in an interception?

Pitta isn't Gronkowski, he's a good player but I don't believe at all he is a guy who the offense can run through as "the guy", at least at this point. If targetting him so much is by design, it needs to change. If it's not by design but Joe just prefers throwing to him over the other guys, that has to change. If Joe is going to him because he's the only guy out there who is even slightly open, then we're in trouble.

Hope I don't sound like I am hating on Pitta. I am considering paying Nike's outrageous prices for their custom jerseys for a Pitta jersey, and he is probably my favorite player on the offense. I just think he needs to be a complementary player on an offense that runs though Smith and Rice, not a guy who the offense runs though.

Re: Pitta now #1 on depth chart.

Originally Posted by Bhcforlife

I don't think this should come as a surprise to anyone who watched the Ravens last year or the first couple of games this year.

I do have an issue with Pitta being targeted 15 times on Sunday and the rest of the receivers being targeted a total of 12 times combined from what I read. If, as an earlier post indicated, Pitta is open, then I have no problem with it. The problem is that Pitta wasn't open on a number of those targets. Even on some balls he caught, they were short gains. Didn't Flacco throw him a two yard pass on third and long with a defender right next to him, resulting in a gain of two and a punt? And throwing him the ball when he was triple covered resulting in an interception?

Pitta isn't Gronkowski, he's a good player but I don't believe at all he is a guy who the offense can run through as "the guy", at least at this point. If targetting him so much is by design, it needs to change. If it's not by design but Joe just prefers throwing to him over the other guys, that has to change. If Joe is going to him because he's the only guy out there who is even slightly open, then we're in trouble.

Hope I don't sound like I am hating on Pitta. I am considering paying Nike's outrageous prices for their custom jerseys for a Pitta jersey, and he is probably my favorite player on the offense. I just think he needs to be a complementary player on an offense that runs though Smith and Rice, not a guy who the offense runs though.

I'd rather Joe throw a 2 yard pass to Pitta on the slight chance he might break a tackle and get the 1st than throw to a bracketed Smith 25 yards down the field and probably get picked off.

Yes, the throw into triple coverage was a terrible decision and he had other options open on the field. He was locked into Pitta the whole way and I can only speculate why. That's all on Joe.

I don't think Pitta is the focal point on the offense, but he has the best hands on the team, seems to get separation over the middle better than anyone else, and obviously has chemistry/trust with Joe. He'll never be a Gronkowski/Graham/etc. monster mismatch who has to be accounted for all over the field, but I would not be at all shocked if he leads this team in receptions this year.

There's no doubt the most dynamic and game-breaking players we have on offense are Rice and Smith. But Smith was locked down last Sunday and Rice was kept in to block way more than usual outside of the last couple drives. Blame the OC for that and no one else.

Re: Pitta now #1 on depth chart.

Originally Posted by Bhcforlife

I don't think this should come as a surprise to anyone who watched the Ravens last year or the first couple of games this year.

I do have an issue with Pitta being targeted 15 times on Sunday and the rest of the receivers being targeted a total of 12 times combined from what I read. If, as an earlier post indicated, Pitta is open, then I have no problem with it. The problem is that Pitta wasn't open on a number of those targets. Even on some balls he caught, they were short gains. Didn't Flacco throw him a two yard pass on third and long with a defender right next to him, resulting in a gain of two and a punt? And throwing him the ball when he was triple covered resulting in an interception?

Pitta isn't Gronkowski, he's a good player but I don't believe at all he is a guy who the offense can run through as "the guy", at least at this point. If targetting him so much is by design, it needs to change. If it's not by design but Joe just prefers throwing to him over the other guys, that has to change. If Joe is going to him because he's the only guy out there who is even slightly open, then we're in trouble.

Hope I don't sound like I am hating on Pitta. I am considering paying Nike's outrageous prices for their custom jerseys for a Pitta jersey, and he is probably my favorite player on the offense. I just think he needs to be a complementary player on an offense that runs though Smith and Rice, not a guy who the offense runs though.

This. 15 targets that net less than 70 yards is a recipe for failure. Especially when one of those targets is into triple coverage which causes an interception. Like someone else said, decent player but he ain't Gronk or Hernandez.

Re: Pitta now #1 on depth chart.

Pitta is money. He isn't somebody you would want to build the offense around but he is a great security blanket for Joe. He is everything that Dickson isn't. Great hands, gets open, and fearless over the middle. Dickson drops too many passes and is quick to give up on the ball when he hears footsteps.

Re: Pitta now #1 on depth chart.

We all know that when Defenses go to press coverage, the Cam Scheme goes to hell, and all the receivers are not open. I dont blame Joe going to Dennis a lot. His height creates an open window for Joe to throw to even if he is coveraged well. It should be the same with Ed, but I don't think Joe trusts him. I am very disappointed in Dickson's progression... He has the speed and height... Should be a lot better.